Beware of Kwa Mai
by cavesareforshipping
Summary: Pleasing a disguised peasant is not easy... Especially if you've got the dignity of a banished prince working in a tea shop. CHAPTER 3 IS UP!
1. Chapter 1

My second story EVER here! PLEASE do not criticize the pairing, it's not like you're required to read it.

Oh, well. Please R&R!

Chapter One

Zuko stumbled slightly as he tried to make it towards to the... 63rd costumer for the day. He inched slowly to the table, making sure the ginseng tea wouldn't spill.

It was yet another busy day at the tea shop, and "Lee" was having problems. He was balancing four trays of orders: one in each of his hands, one on his head, and another one tipping on his left knee (He was even holding a teapot in his mouth). So he had to hop.

_Which is making me look ridiculous,_ Zuko thought miserably. He took a deep breath and inched forward. _Just a little closer..._

But then, the tray on his head caught his attention. He looked up and frowned, determined to not let it spill. He continued to hop, not even bothering to watch where he was going. He was so close, but then...

_CRASH!_

He collided with a young lady. She seemed to be from the Upper Ring, with her fancy getup--a ritzy dress, a fan, big jewelry, the blue eyeshadow--and all.

But Zuko's eyes widened, realizing that...

The girl had those familiar blue eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow. I never thought I'd ever update this thing... Well, from now on, it won't take a month to put up one chapter, I swear. **

**Gah. On with the story:  
**

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It took a while to let it all sink in for Zuko. He was there, _she_ was there, they crashed… and now they're on top of each other.

Slowly, they both got up. They stared at each other, filling the air with what everyone thought was awkward silence, but was actually steamy tension.

Finally, Zuko spoke. "Leave," he hissed, his voice barely audible, but loud enough to let Katara hear, and know it was dripping in venom.

And despite Zuko's dangerous glare, Katara stood her ground. "No," she responded, her lower lip sticking out in a stubborn pout.

She had her reasons. She was curious about why _Zuko_ was, of all places, in a small tea shop in the middle of Ba Sing Se. She was curious about why Zuko was _working, _apparently, in a small tea shop of Ba Sing Se. And most of all, she was curious about why Zuko was wearing an _apron,_ working in a small tea shop in the middle of Ba Sing Se!

"_Leeeeave,"_ Zuko repeated, his murderous gaze getting more and more intense. "I said _leave_, you barbaric piece of trash!"

Katara remained somewhat un-offended by his remark. "And I said no." She lowered her voice even more, so no one but Zuko could hear her. "'Barbaric piece of trash'?! How dare you… you… uncivil, snooty prick!"

"What do you want, peasant?" He asked, clearly more stressed than angry now.

Katara narrowed her eyes. "If you must know, I've been overhearing now and then around the city about a 'skilled middle-aged tea-maker and his dashing, scarred nephew working in a tea shop located in the Lower Ring." She looked at Zuko, who was still glaring at her. "Obviously, they were only half right with the second description."

Zuko suddenly felt powerless. "So now you're going off to alert the officials; you know our identities."

Katara grinned mischievously. "No, that's not why I'm here." Her smile grew wider. "I came here for your services. Wouldn't _that_ make a story for the others: 'The great Prince of the Fire Nation served me tea, poor and helpless, stripped of his dignity.' Ha!"

Zuko couldn't believe it. "If you think I'd do such a thing—get down on my knees and cater to your every whim—you're much more delusional than I thought. There is_ no way_ I'm going to serve a pathetic little peasant like you."

"I figured you'd decline. But," she casually looked at her nails as she said this, "there will be a consequence. Don't serve me, and you'll find yourself in a nice little cell in the Earth Kingdom dungeon, ready to be sent away to the Fire Nation to be locked away forever."

"I said no."

"Fine, then." Suddenly, she started shouting: "Yoo hoo, everybody! This guy's from the Fi—"

Alarmed, Zuko took both of her wrists and burned her a little.

Katara winced, but she didn't back down. "Help! This man's a fi—OW!" She yelled as the heat in her wrists grew.

By this time, they had caught everyone, including Iroh, in the tea shop's attention. To stop the girl from saying anything else, Zuko dragged her to the back room.

This left all the customers puzzled. They watched as he slammed the door behind him

Once they were both out of earshot, one gambler said, "Four coppers that he'll take her," counting his change.

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**A/N: Gah. Short, I know. But at least this story is going somewhere, right? I'll be updating at random... I have one strange schedule. sweatdrop**

**Please, R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! This chapter is only mostly just me beating around the bush--the story's not really going anywhere... and it's really short. Sorry!**

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"Let… me… go!"

Zuko did, his fists still flaming.

They were now in the back room, and Zuko was safe from having his real identity exposed. He sighed in relief. And he knew he burned Katara well—her wrists would be so damaged that she won't even be able to move her hands to open the door and escape—so he wasn't scared of letting her go.

This was true. Katara, raging mad as hell, looked at the door, ran to it and made several attempts to slide it open, despite the state her hands were in. She desperately tried to open it with her foot. (Even though doing so was dreadfully uncomfortable.) She banged at the door with her shoulder, hoping it would bust down. Nothing worked.

"You aren't getting out," said Zuko. "You aren't telling_ anyone _that I'm from the Fire Nation. And you're _definitely_not getting any customer service from" He glared.

She glared back. Even with her scorched wrists, she was still determined to get what she wanted. (Humiliating a prince would be _classic_!) "If you aren't going to give me your services, at least give me answers." She walked over to a large pot of water and healed herself. (…But despite her levelheaded tone, she mentally kicked herself for not thinking of doing that earlier.) She caught Zuko staring in bewilderment. "I would leave now, but I'm not gonna," she added slyly.

Zuko frowned. He had no choice. If he said no, she'd run away. And he didn't want that. He hesitated. "What—What do you want to know?"

"Well, for starters, what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same question."

"I thought you said you'd answer me!"

"I did no such thing. I asked what you wanted to know,"

"The only thing that's keeping me from going out this door is an answer!"

Zuko grabbed her wrists again. "Don't. You. Dare."

"Then answer." Katara immediately managed to wiggle away from his grip and set her hand on the door's handle.

He frowned. Helplessly, he gave in. "My father sent Azula to arrest me and my uncle. So we became fugitives as continued to hunt us down. In the desert south of here, we met an old friend of Iroh's—some member of the White Lotus Society who spoke in metaphors or something."

Katara listened carefully to Zuko as he continued:

"He told us to head here; Ba Sing Se's population is mostly of refugees, so we thought we were safe." A scowl grew on his face. "But we _still_ aren't. Evil water witch, do _not_ tell anyone who I really am."

Katara smirked. "Oh, I won't—If you accept to be my servant, even for just seven measly days."

Zuko scowled even more. "Up to this time, you still think I'd such a thing for you?! Blasphemy, insolent peasant!"

"Serve me for a whole week, or serve a lifetime behind bars. Your choice." She walked towards the door. I'll be back here tomorrow to hear your decision. Count on it. And only until then, I'll keep my mouth zipped about you." And with that, she left.

Zuko was still in shock with the situation: Be a slave to a lowly waterbender, or have his identity revealed—possibly to lead him to facing his father.

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**Please R&R... Please? -puppy dog pout- **


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